Keep Your Powder Dry Page #2

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She told me all about it.

Oh, I give up.

Ok, darling.

You angel.

Keep your powder dry!

Well, now, I didn't think the

trip was so bad, did you, Mary?

No.

So this is Des Moines.

Have you been here before?

Are you kidding?

Well, it can't be

that bad, can it?

It can't?

Bro-ther!

I played here once

in a vaudeville act

with a trained duck.

After two nights, things got

so tough, I ate the act...

And the egg it laid, too.

Here comes the colonel, girls.

We should try to form

some sort of a line.

Dress it! Dress the line!

Oh!

Welcome to Fort Des Moines.

Thank you.

Welcome to the corps.

Thank you. It's nice

being here.

An accident?

Oh.

We'll see that you get

some sturdier shoes.

Welcome to the WACs.

Thank you, sir.

Welcome to Des Moines.

I played here in vaudeville.

That's fine.

Welcome to the corps.

I'm awfully sorry about that.

Oh, that's all right.

But, after all,

we were told to wear

low-heeled shoes.

I guess those trucks over

there must be for us.

Well, pull up your rayons,

girls, and let's go.

No, no.

In the army, we

wait for orders.

Well, this'll be the first

concrete mixer I've ever slept in.

My mattress feels like a

section of the Lincoln highway

around Altoona, PA.

I think I'll try this one.

You know, they promised

us room and board.

Well, that's the board.

In the army, they

don't call it board.

They call it "mess."

And speaking of a mess,

look at my hair.

Say, has anybody got a comb?

I went and lost

mine on the train.

I think the PX is still open.

You can get one there.

Oh, here. Take mine.

Look, if we once start

borrowing from each other,

we're all sunk.

Keep it.

Thanks.

Say, you know, when I saw them

taking those pictures

of you at the train,

I knew I'd seen you somewhere.

Small world, isn't it?

And now I know where it was.

It was in a magazine,

in that cold cream

advertisement.

Confidentially, don't

use the cold cream.

Eats your face off.

I think it's wonderful,

somebody like you giving up

everything to join the army.

Don't you?

We all gave up something.

Well, I guess

I'd better unpack.

Personal belongings will

go in the footlocker,

with the exception

of photographs,

typewriters, and books,

which will go in

the wall locker.

When we get our gi clothing,

stockings, towels and pajamas

will go in the footlockers,

while the wall lockers will be

sufficient for uniforms and so on.

Say...

What are you, an old

cavalry officer?

I'm from an army family.

I happen to know a little

bit more about this life

than the others,

and I don't mind being helpful.

No, I'm sure you don't.

But if I need any help,

I'll send up a flare.

You'll need help...

lots of it.

Look, Napoleon,

I don't care if you

were born in a tank

and weaned on a hand grenade.

I'll take my orders

from the people

entitled to give them.

That attitude won't get you

very far in the service, Parks.

Oh, don't make any rash

predictions, Napoleon.

The name is Rand.

It's going to be mud if you

keep trying to ride over me

on that high horse of yours!

Ten-shun!

Sorry, girls. I was just

practicing to be a sergeant.

But I feel funny sleeping in

a room with so many people.

At home I had a

room all to myself,

with only my sister

and Aunt Sophie

and her little girl.

Oh, you'll get used to it.

This your husband?

No, we were just friends.

But now he's helping an old

gal spend her annuity.

What's the idea

of the picture?

I just like to see him hang.

Ha ha ha!

Well, listen to this...

the training schedule.

6:
00, lights on.

6:
30, reveille.

Classes from 8:
05 to 11:30.

Mail call, 11:
35.

Is there just one mail a day?

No, there's another

at, uh...1630.

If you'll pardon a

question from a PFC...

what?

"Poor, foolish civilian."

That 1630... is that

the time or the year?

You see, army time is counted

straight around the clock.

1300 is 1 P.M., so

1630 would be 4:
30.

Just subtract 12.

Imagine telling the boyfriend

to meet you at a

quarter after 13.

There's a very good

reason for it.

If I were commanding a

company, let's say,

and I should issue a written

order to the company

to report at a given

assembly point

at 8 A.M., for instance,

a mistake in a

single letter...

P.M., instead of A.M....

might be very serious.

If you were

commanding a company?

That was just an example.

Oh, I see.

I think it would

be a good idea

if we were all to

memorize the schedule.

For the platoons compete

against each other,

and we must be sure that

our platoon is the best.

Teacher, if we win

the blue ribbon,

do you get to wear

it in your hair?

Listen, Parks,

I've taken just about all

I'm going to take from you.

That's what you think.

That's what I know.

You're a bad influence,

and I don't think I care to serve

in the same squad with you.

Well, maybe you

won't be able to.

You'd better wait

until you've had

a little physical training.

That nightclub tan of yours

is terribly becoming,

but I don't think

it's very healthy.

Oh, you don't?

Well, let me tell you...

stop it!

Stop it, both of you.

You're behaving like a

couple of children,

and it's not fair

to the rest of us.

We're all going to

have trouble enough

living up to what

they expect of us

without taking time out

for private fights.

You're right. It

won't happen again.

I'll see to that.

There'll be two of

us seeing to that,

Miss Rules and Regulations.

Come in.

Private Rand, ma'am,

requesting permission to

see the company commander.

It's after hours, Rand.

Yes, ma'am, but I noticed

you were still in your office,

so I took the liberty...

if you'll read

your regulations

before going to bed tonight,

you'll discover that a request

for an interview with

the company commander

must be made through

your first sergeant.

Yes, ma'am, but paragraph

"B" of that article

modifies the regulation

by stating that,

in the absence of

the first sergeant,

or on a matter of urgency...

are you suggesting that I do not

know the regulations, Rand?

Oh, no, ma'am.

I'm merely quoting

from the regulations.

I see. You may continue.

Thank you, ma'am.

The recruit personnel

with whom I arrived

will be sent to the

4th Training Company,

will they not, ma'am?

You may assume that

to be correct, Rand.

I should like to

be transferred

to some other company, ma'am.

Why?

Personal reasons, ma'am.

Someone you... dislike?

Yes, ma'am.

You're an army gal,

aren't you, Rand?

Yes, ma'am.

You'll probably

make application

for officer candidate school?

Yes, ma'am.

Coming from an

army family, Rand,

you should know that

the first indication

of a good soldier,

or a good officer,

is the ability to get

along with people.

I think it would

be much better

if we both forget completely

that you ever made

such a request

for personal reasons.

Anything else?

No, ma'am.

And thank you, ma'am.

Parks...

Parks.

I want to tell you something.

I want to tell it to

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